Large forces of army and police destroyed six homes Wednesday in the Ma’ale Rehavam outpost
in Gush Etzion. Four families were removed from their residences, and the army blocked access to the area.

Thirty families live in the Ma’ale Rehavam outpost, and over the past few years, demolition orders have been issued for most of the houses, according to IDF
sources. Aggravating warnings that have been given to residents is the fact that development has continued. This led to Wednesday's evacuation and demolition directive.

Said Drori Bar Lev, secretary of the outpost, “They arrived here today with no warning and began to evacuate the post.” He said, “This is a matter of state lands, and the entire settlement is included in the Gush Etzion
outline. There was no reason for this destruction.”

Evacuation of Ma'ale Rehavam (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

Demolition of Ma'ale Rehavam outpost (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

At this point, it is not clear how many houses will be evacuated and destroyed, but among settlers, and right-wing MKs,
there have been calls on the prime minister to stop evacuations. Said David Pearl, head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, “I call upon the prime minister to immediately get involved and stop the destruction in Ma’ale Rehavam. There is no reason for it.”

He suggested the government "immediately approve the Levy Report,
in order to end injustice and damage suffered by settlers, as happened Wednesday morning in Ma’ale Rehavam. The Gush Dan council will provide all the assistance necessary to residents who were effected by the serious, pointless destruction."

MK Orit Struk (Habayit Hayehudi) said, “With a little goodwill, we could have approved the homes, as opposed to destroying them. This is in line with what the government recently decided regarding thousands of illegal Bedouin homes in the Negev.
This type of discrimination in enforcement of the law must end.”